


Out of His Depth

by MuseofWriting



Category: Fate/stay night: Unlimited Blade Works (Anime 2014)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Merpeople, Gen, MerMay, Sympathy, heavy doses of dramatic irony, help from unexpected places
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-04
Updated: 2021-02-04
Packaged: 2021-03-15 12:01:16
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 784
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29188974
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MuseofWriting/pseuds/MuseofWriting
Summary: There are more than a few things that Shirou doesn't know about his past and where he came from.
Relationships: Emiya Shirou & Heroic Spirit EMIYA | Archer
Comments: 1
Kudos: 7
Collections: MuseofWriting's MerMay Fics





	Out of His Depth

**Author's Note:**

> Most years for Mermay I take prompts for merfolk ficlets; some of them get expanded into slightly longer pieces. This is one of those :D
> 
> First prompt from [@Mondegreened](https://twitter.com/Mondegreened) for Archer and Shirou with the prompt word "mistake"; requests for follow-ups from [@anonochi](https://anonochi.tumblr.com/)

“It… was a mistake?”

That was all Shirou could really say to Archer’s pinched expression as his eyes swept across the tail, the color of pale fire, where his legs should be. He’d pulled himself back up out of the water and onto the shore, but he had to dry out completely before his legs would come back, and sitting on the wet stones without a towel there wasn’t much he could do.

Archer didn’t look as _surprised_ as Shirou was expecting, just vaguely pissed off. Then again, that seemed to be his default state. Maybe he’d lost the capacity for surprise. He sighed, and crouched down next to him. “Come on. I better get you home before Saber levels the city looking for you.”

Shirou scooted back an inch, narrowing his eyes. “ _Are_ you going to take me home, or are you going to stab me again?”

“Let me help you, idiot.” Archer got an arm around his back, hooked the other under his tail, and lifted him, leaving Shirou with the choice of falling backward or grabbing hold. He chose the latter, arms wrapping stiffly around Archer’s neck.

“Fine,” he muttered. Archer held him with surprising care as he took off across the city, towards home.

*

Rin was waiting for them when they got back. Her eyes went wide at the sight of Shirou’s tail, and she bombarded him with questions so fast they started to overrun one another, not even done asking one before she started on the next. He flinched and took a breath, trying to find a spot in her tirade to slip a word in. Before he could, to his surprise, Archer deftly side-stepped Rin and carried him through the courtyard, leaving her gaping after them.

“At least let him get his legs back before you interrogate him,” Archer said. Shirou closed his mouth and looked quizzically up at Archer.

“You’re… taking this very well,” he said. Archer nudged the door open with his foot, carrying Shirou through the house without an answer, and set him on the bathroom floor. Shirou reached for a towel to rub off the damp still clinging to his tail. Shirou tried to ignore the prickling feeling on the back of his neck as Archer watched him. When he risked a glance upward, Archer was leaning against the doorframe, face impassive. "You're not going to ask?"

“You think a mermaid is the strangest thing a Heroic Spirit has seen?” Archer said.

Shirou shrugged. “No, but— that doesn’t mean it isn’t weird.” He shot Archer a sideways glare. “I’m not used to you wanting to _help_ me.”

Archer didn’t quite meet his gaze, staring somewhere past him. “I just know how awful it is to be helpless.”

*

“Have you met others like me?”

Archer jerked, startled by Shirou’s voice from the doorway. He’d been focused out, scanning the sky and the rooftops for Lancer or Caster or anyone else who might try an attack in the night. Shirou was in the doorway, back on legs again, hugging himself. He snuck a glance up at Archer and ducked his head again. “Kiritsugu didn’t know where I came from, and I don’t remember anything from before the fire,” he said. “I wondered…” He trailed off, a hundred unspoken questions hanging in the air. Archer turned back to look over the city. The half moon seemed unreasonably bright tonight, bathing everything in silver. After a long moment, he heard Shirou turn around, presumably giving up on getting an answer.

“I have,” he said, despite himself. He heard Shirou’s feet pause. “I’ve been to the underwater cities. They’re… colorful, and strange, and cold. It’s very _cold_ at the bottom of the ocean.” He allowed himself a humorless smile at his own private joke. “I don’t think you’d like them very much.”

*

“Just tell me one thing.”

Archer grimaced, hand shifting grip on his sword, a half second from springing forward to kill him. “What?” he snapped.

“What did you find in the underwater cities?” Shirou’s hand clenched around his weapons. “Do you know where I— you— where we come from?” Something strange went through Archer’s eyes, a not-quite softening.

“It doesn’t matter,” he said.

“It—”

“I mean it doesn’t matter to them, down there,” he said. “They won’t be able to tell you anything, because they have no concept of family or history. You can’t make anything permanent underwater. Eventually it all just washes away. There’s only the ocean.” Archer’s mouth twisted slightly. “I’m still going to kill you,” he said. “But at least you’re not that. Be glad you’re not that.”

Shirou took a steadying breath, and dropped his weight, preparing for a blow. “Alright,” he said.

**Author's Note:**

> Please leave a comment and kudos if you enjoyed!
> 
> Come find me:
> 
> tumblr: [@thatgirlonstage](https://thatgirlonstage.tumblr.com)  
> twitter: [@MuseofWriting](https://twitter.com/MuseofWriting)


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